Friday, November 7, 2008

The Way of the Peaceful Warrior

I am in Mexico,a little less news-connected than when I’m home, but I’ve read enough in thepast 24 hours to see that those very pundits who were dead wrong over how thiselection would pan out are back at it.The theme this time is “he’s not tested”, and Biden’s honest remarksthat the U.S. WILL be tested if Obama is elected are being used in an effort tostart the divisiveness AGAIN.

Here’s the deal, folks: Biden is probably the sharpestforeign policy cookie in a half-backed city, but he is hardly Nostradamus forpredicting this, as evidenced by the Russian’s party pooping response to Tuesday's world changing events.Of COURSE Barack Obama will be tested.The REASON he will be tested is simplybecause the formulaic, rote responses of the Bush Administration can no longer be relied upon by the enemies of America…and this new President seems to be considerably better intellectually and emotionally equipped to deliver what all bilateral relationships demand.

Just as the whole Red State/Blue State blather looks today like 3 day old guacamole, so does the fundamentally flawed notion that we can make America betterby fomenting divisiveness.It’s “checksand balances”, not “seek and destroy”, and remember: "divided we fall". So don't buy a blatant attempt to rack up ratings as valid political analysis, because it isn't.

So therein lies the supreme irony: this whole effort to create an “usand them” mentality, such as the horrific lies fabricated about our President Elect by his opponent's team in the final weeks of the campaign, fear DOES NOT WORK when people care enough to engage in dialogue. Why do you think Russians have their Kremlin pantiesin a bunch? They are TERRIFIED because they don't know what to do about Barack Obama...and the global response to his election has just completely thrown their KGB-styled world order out the window.

Fact: change induces fear in those who rely upon a polarized view of the world for their empowerment. Eliminate divisiveness andthose who use fear to retain power lose control...and characterizing the past 8years as demonstration of America’s“strength” is, well, embarrassing.The world never had problems with Americans and, except for the various extremist nutcases who hate us, we are loved deeply still today....despite the havoc our nation has recently leveled upon the world.the Truth be told, diplomacy has been all but nonexistent and the United States has lately beengoverned like a steaming warship piloted bya reckless group of drunken semi-sailors.The world needs Americato lead it and folks, we have BLOWN it. But they still believe in us, now more than in a very, very long time.

This is what global strength for America means: it means the ability toprotect a nation, build a homeland consensus, and make the world better throughleadership, vision, and human compassion.It means sending out the troops when we have no other choice and whenour sights are clearly on the enemy.Itmeans sitting down with other nations and galvanizing support among our partners when nations gorogue, resulting in the creation of international sanctions which have teeth and actually WORK.It means using your brainand integrity, a deeply-rooted desire to make the world a better place because you actually buy into the Constitutional assertion that "all men are created equal". That is what a strong America looks like.

So don't waste a second analyzing the second guessing of the readiness of our President Elect; don't buy what the fearmongers are selling. Barack Obama is ready.He will soon be taking office with a cadre ofthe brightest minds and most seasoned experts in America and they will be a loyal andpowerful resource, united in purpose and, yes, full of hope...because they have a Chief Executive who inspires them and who can lead them. Despite what we've been told these last few years, hope does not equal vulnerability. Colin Powell and a millions of others of our nation's best minds agree, and even Condy shed a tear or two on Tuesday.

New game, guys. I will leave you with this, an excerpt from aforthcoming book called “CONQUERING FEAR: THE HEART OF SHAMBHALA”:

TheWarrior’s Weapons

“If victory is the notion of no enemy, then the wholeworld is a friend. That seems to be the warrior’s philosophy. The true warrioris not like somebody carrying a sword and looking behind his own shadow, incase somebody is lurking there. That is the setting-sun warrior’s point ofview, which is an expression of cowardice. The true warrior always has aweapon, in any case … The definition of warriorship is fearlessness andgentleness. Those are your weapons…